Archives For
Onesimus

I ended the first post on this topic by noting that Paul wanted something better than freedom for Onesimus: he wanted Philemon to view Onesimus as a human being, a brother in Christ, a man of intrinsic value and worth. And if Paul could accomplish that, all forms of injustice and inequality would fade away. Thebest way to change a cultural mindset that accepts inequality, dehumanization, and injustice is to change the hearts of those who perpetuate it in all its forms. Continue Reading…

Though Paul’s letter to Philemon is often used to accuse Paul of supporting (or at least being okay with) slavery, the criticism misses the deeper purpose of this letter. Paul presented a radical Continue Reading…

Even with these caveats, it’s hard to read the Law without cringing at more morally significant mandates, such as those concerning slavery or the treatment of women.

It is important to note that while the Israelite Law was a solid move toward a better world, the laws were usually incremental instead of complete. The laws were intended to show a redemptive movement in the broader context of the world. In Christian terms, this means God at times used progressive revelation to reveal truth. The cultural climate of world was at a particular place; God used the Law to begin a redemptive movement away from injustice and toward justice. It was a cultural shift that can only be appreciated by understanding what God was pulling people from and what he was pulling them toward. The Old Testament shows the beginning of a restorative work in a very broken world through a particular group of people. This was the start of that process, not the finished product. Continue Reading…